Insert-molded ion wind fan

Abstract

An ion wind fan can be manufactured efficiently using insert molding. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an ion wind fan having an isolator with an emitter bus plate and an emitter attachment plate insert molded into isolator. A collector electrode is further insert molded into the isolator. The collector electrode is supported in part by two collector supports. One or more wire emitter electrodes are welded to the emitter bus plate at a first end of the emitter wires and to the emitter attachment plate at a second end of the emitter wires.

1 . An ion wind fan having a longitudinal axis, the ion wind fan comprising:
 an isolator comprising a dielectric, the isolator having a first end and a second end longitudinally opposite the first end, wherein the first end comprises an emitter bus plate insert molded into the first end and the second end comprises an emitter attachment plate insert molded into the second end;   a collector electrode insert molded into the isolator, the collector electrode being supported at least in part by a first collector support protruding from the first end and a second collector support protruding from the second end; and   one or more wire emitter electrodes welded to the emitter bus plate at a first end of the emitter wires and to the emitter attachment plate at a second end of the emitter wires and held in tension across the first and second ends of the ion wind fan.   
     
     
         2 . The ion wind fan of  claim 1 , wherein the emitter bus plate comprises a substantially U-shaped piece of metal. 
     
     
         3 . The ion wind fan of  claim 2 , wherein only a plate or dome-like portion of the U-shaped piece of metal protrudes from the isolator. 
     
     
         4 . The ion wind fan of  claim 2 , wherein the emitter attachment plate comprises a second substantially U-shaped piece of metal. 
     
     
         5 . The ion wind fan of  claim 4 , wherein only a plate or dome-like portion of the second U-shaped piece of metal protrudes from the isolator. 
     
     
         6 . The ion wind fan of  claim 1 , wherein the emitter bus plate and the emitter attachment plate comprise one integral piece of metal. 
     
     
         7 . The ion wind fan of  claim 1 , further comprising an emitter prong protruding from the isolator, the emitter prong being electrically coupled to the emitter bus plate. 
     
     
         8 . The ion wind fan of  claim 7 , wherein the emitter prong and the emitter bus plate comprise one integral piece of metal. 
     
     
         9 . The ion wind fan of  claim 1 , wherein the collector electrode comprises a substantially flat plane of metal having an upstream surface facing the emitter electrodes and a downstream surface, the collector electrode having a plurality of air-passage openings. 
     
     
         10 . The ion wind fan of  claim 9 , wherein the collector electrode comprises a first curved portion at a first longitudinal end that curves the first end portion away from the plane of the upstream surface of the collector electrode. 
     
     
         11 . The ion wind fan of  claim 10 , wherein the collector electrode comprises a second curved portion at a second longitudinal end that curves the second end portion away from the plane of the upstream surface of the collector electrode, wherein the collector electrode in insert molded into the first collector support at the first end portion and the collector electrode is further insert molded into the second collector support at the second end portion. 
     
     
         12 . The ion wind fan of  claim 9 , wherein the distance between the emitter electrodes and the upstream surface of the collector electrode is less than the distance between the emitter electrodes and the first collector support. 
     
     
         13 . The ion wind fan of  claim 12 , wherein the difference between the distance between the emitter electrodes and the first collector support and the distance between the emitter electrodes and the upstream surface of the collector electrode is greater than the thickness of the collector electrode between the upstream and downstream surfaces of the collector electrode. 
     
     
         14 . The ion wind fan of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second collector supports comprise solid surfaces that block airflow so that substantially all of the airflow generated by the ion wind fan is through the air-passage openings of the collector electrode. 
     
     
         15 . The ion wind fan of  claim 8 , further comprising a collector prong protruding from the isolator, the collector prong being electrically coupled to the collector electrode. 
     
     
         16 . The ion wind fan of  claim 15 , wherein the collector prong and the collector electrode comprise one integral piece of metal. 
     
     
         17 . The ion wind fan of  claim 16 , wherein the ion wind fan is energized by electrically coupling the emitter prong to the high side of a high voltage power supply and electrically coupling the collector prong to the low side of the high voltage power supply. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an ion wind fan, the method comprising:
 operating a metal stamping tool to generate an emitter attachment component and a collector electrode;   operating a molding tool to generate a fan blank by insert molding the emitter attachment component and the collector electrode into an injection molded isolator made of a dielectric; and   operating a welding tool to generate the ion wind fan by welding one or more emitter wires to portions of the emitter attachment component that protrude from the isolator.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the welding tool comprises a tensioning mechanism to keep tension on the emitter wires such that the emitter wires are held in tension after welding. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the dielectric comprises liquid crystal polymer (LCP).